Mali: Deccan
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Mali
This article is an extract from THE CASTES AND TRIBES OF H. E. H. THE NIZAM'S DOMINIONS BY SYED SIRAJ UL HASSAN Of Merton College, Oxford, Trinity College, Dublin, and Middle Temple, London. One of the Judges of H. E. H. the Nizam's High Court of Judicature : Lately Director of Public Instruction. BOMBAY THE TlMES PRESS 1920 Indpaedia is an archive. It neither agrees nor disagrees |
Mali, Marar — an industrious race of fruit and vegetable growers, gardeners and cultivators, found in large numbers in and around Daulatabad, extending as far north as the Central Provinces and the Berars. Moving, from this point, southward into the District of Adilabad, they have spread over the tract of country comprising the present talukas of Rajura, Sirpur and Jangaon and, under the popular designation ' Marar,' have now entirely occupied many villages in the District. The cunent tradition avers that, early in the fourteenth century, they were brought from Delhi, by the Emperor Muhammad Taghluk, who desired to furnish his new capital of Daulatabad with beautiful gardens, and that their immigration continued so long as the Mogal rule prevailed in the Deccan. Their claim of foreign origin is, to some extent, borne out by the distinction between their features and customs, and those of the local Kunbis.
Origin — The name Mali is an abbreviation of the Sanskrit ' Malakar,' a garland maker. The etymology of the name Marar is obscure. A vjuriety of legends are in vogue regarding the origin of the caste. Manu makes them the offspring of a Mahisya father and a Nishad mother. According to a legend contained in the Nibhanda Puran, Adideva Banmali, the first gardener, sprang from the pubes (jhata) of the god Shiva as he dashed them on the mountain Dhavalgiri. Anoliier legend supposes that the progenitor of the caste was one Bhramaracharya Rishi, who made daily offerings of flowers to Shanker. Taken by themselves, these legends are valueless, as they give no clue to the real affinities of the caste.
Internal Structure
The Malis are divided into twelve and a half endogamous groups based mostly upon the nature of articles they chiefly cultivate.
(I) Phul Mali — Growers of flowers.
(2) Jire Mali — Growers of cumin seeds.
(3) Halde Mali — Growers of turmeric.
(4) Ghas Mali — Growers of grass.
(5) Trigula — Betel vine growers.
(6) Kosale.
(7) Bhandare.
(8) Mithagare.
(9) Bawane.
(10) Adshete.
(11) Lingayit. ^.
(12) Adiprabhu. (I21/2) Malgand.
The members of these different groups do not intermarry nor eat together. The Phul Malis hold the highest rank among the com- munity. The Malgands form a half caste being composed of illegi- timate members of the Mali caste. They serve as bards, or genea- logists, to the Malis and subsist by begging only from them.
The exogamous sections of the caste consist' of family names, and are the same as those of the Msuratha Kunbis.
The sept name descends in the male line. A man is forbidden to marry a woman of his own section. No other section is a bar to marriage, provided he avoids the following relatives : — Mother's sister, sister's daughter, mother's sister's daughter and father's sister's daughter. A man may marry two sisters. Two brothers may also marry two sisters, but the elder brother must marry the elder sister and the younger brother the younger.
Marriage
The Malis marry their girls as infants between the ages of four and twelve. In fulfilment of vows, girls are some- times dedicated to their tutelary deity Khandoba. The dedication ceremony consists in marrying the girl to the deity as if she were his bride: Such girls are designated Murlis, are subsequently debarred from marriage and lead a loose life. Polygamy is permitted without any theoretical limit.
Either side takes the initiative towards the settlement of marriage. An earthen platform is built at the girl's house only, but both parties erect marriage booths supported on five posts of Mango, (Afangrfem mdica), Umbar {Ficus glomerata), Jambul {Eugenia jambolana), Palas (Butea jrondosa) and Saundad (Prosopis spicigera). To the Saundad post, which is terrned Muhurta Medha (auspicious post), is fastened the DeOa Devakfl, represented by an axe, twigs of mango and shami and two cakes. A Brahmin is consulted and an auspicious day is fixed for the celebration of the wedding. The marriage ceremony opens with sakharpuda (betrothal), when a sari and choli, one rupee and five cocoanuts are presented to the girl, aniline and turmeric powders are smeared on her forehead and some sugar is put into her mouth.
The marriage ceremony lasts for five days and comprises the following stages : —
(1) Tel-Haldi : — Both the bride and the bridegroom, in their own houses, are smeared with turmeric and oil under special booths (Haldi-mandava) made for the purpose.
(2) Warli : — Five earthen pots £u-e ceremonially brought from a potter's house by five married females from each party.
(3) DeVa Devaka : — Or the divine invocation. Family
deities are invoked for their blessings on the couple and formal invitations are sent to relatives euid friends.
(4) Simdnt Pujan : — The formal and ceremonial reception of the bridegroom by the bride's parents at Maruti's temple, usually situated on the village boundary.
(5) Bridal procession : — The boy riding on a horse or a bullock is conducted, in procession to the girl's house. At the time fixed by astrologers for the performance of the actual ceremony, the bride and bridegroom are made to stand face to face in two bamboo baskets containing turmeric coloured rice. A cloth is held between them and they are wedded by the priest reciting nrantras and throwing coloured jawari grains over their heads. The bridal pair, while standing, are twice • encircled with cotton thread, first four times and then five times. The thread is removed, steeped in turmeric water and made into two bracelets which the bridal pair tie on each other^s wrists. The bridegroom ties the Mangahutra lucky necklace) round the bride's neck and puts silver rings on her toes.
(6) Kanyadan : — Gift and acceptance. The wedded pair are seated on an earthen platform, side by side, and Homa is performed by throwing ghi on the sacrificial fire, whereupon the bride's father, taking her by the hand, entrusts her to the care of the bridegroom.
(7) Sade : — Or the final procession which conducts the bridal pair to the bridegroom's house.
Zalzenda : — The bridal pair are borne by their maternal uncles on their backs and when the latter, dancing and jumping with their burdens, cross, the former pelt each other with wheaten cakes or throw red powder (gulal) on each other's heads.
A very interesting usage, probably of primitive origin, has been preserved by some mali families and deserves special mention. On the wedding night, a man of the caste, disguised in female clothes and carrying a milk pot on his head, represents a ' gaolan ' (milk- maid), while a woman, dressed like a man and furnished with a sword and a ' hukka ' (hubble-bubble), is styled a Mogal, The antic pair go, in procession, to the bridegroom's house and thence escort his mother to the wedding booth. For this queer office they receive rewards in money and clothes from the assembled guests, who enjoy the occasion, making it the subject of great fun and merriment.
Marar girls are married both as infants or after they have attained the age of puberty. Cohabitation before marriage is con- nived at, it being understood that her seducer, in case the girl becomes pregnant, will be compelled to marry her. The father of the bride receives a sum of money for his daughter, which sometimes amounts to as much as Rs. 40. The marriage ceremony of the Marars is only a copy of the ritual in vogue among the other Adilabad castes of the same social standing. The marriage is conducted by a Brahmin who recites mantras, throws jawari grains on the .heads of the couple and unites them in wedlock. A curious usage, scjircely less interesting than that of the Malis, requires the bridegroom's mother to make five cow-dung cakes subsequent to the celebration of the Nagvelli rite. The cakes are placed under a booth, bedaubed with turmeric and red aniline powder and solemnly worshipped with offerings of milk, mung, wheat and jawari.' They are then preserved until the first Divali festival, when they are burnt to heat the water with which the bridal couple are ceremonially bathed.
Widow-Marriage
Widow marriage is permitted with the sanction of the caste Panchayat. The widow, dressed in white, is seated on a bullock saddle and the bridegroom, dagger in hand, ties the mangahuira round her neck. The pair offer milk to each other and this concludes the proceedings. The ceremony is attended only by widows and is performed under the superintendence of a Brahmin priest.
Divorce
Divorce is recognised by the caste, but cannot be carried into effect without the express permission of the leading members of the community. The woman is deprived of her mangal- sulra (wedding thread), which symbolises her separation from her husband. If the husband has just cause of complaint against his wife, he is entitled to recover from her a part of the marriage expenses; but if he neglects or illtreats his wife, he is compelled by the Panchas to give her alimony for six months. A deed of divorce, embodying these conditions, is executed and attested by the headman and other members of the caste council. Divorced women are allowed to marry again by the same ritual as widows.
Child-Birth
A woman after child-birth is unclean for ten days. When the child is six days old, worship is offered by the father to the goddess Satwai (sasti), who is generally regarded as the guardian of young children. A girl, on attaining puberty, is impure for four days, the otabharan, or propitiatory ceremony, being per- formed within sixteen days from first appearance.
Religion
In their religious and ceremonial observances the members of the caste differ very little from the high caste Hindus of the locality. The favourite deity of the Malis is Khandoba, a form of Mahadeo, worshipped on the sixth of the lunar half' of Margashirsha (December). Offerings of marigold flowers, yellow powder (bhandara), boiled onions and bringals are made to the god and dogs are fed in his name. Their village gods are Mari Ai, Sitala Devi, Bahiroba, Bhasoba, Satwai and Maruti, who are worshipped in every hotise-hold with the usual offerings of sheep, goats and sweetmeats of diiferent kinds. The characteristic deity of the ^arars is ' Khudban ' represented by a lump of dried clay set up in every house. Among their minor gods the most prominent positions are taken by Pochamma, Lakshmi, Jamlai, Waghoba and the local pirs. Women pay devotion to the ' tulsi ' plant {Ocimum sanctum) daily, to the cobra snake on Nagpanchami (lunar fifth of Shravana) and to the ' badh ' (Ficus bengalensis) and pipal * (Ficus religiosa) trees occasionally. In addition to these gods, all Mali house-holders appease a number of spirits of their deceased sfticestors, whose images they emboss on silver or copper plates and keep enshrined in a special part of the house. The Malis observe all the Hindu festivals and feasts and employ Brahmans as priests in their religious service.
Disposal of the Dead
The dead are burned in the ordinary Hindu fashion, the body being laid on the pyre with the head pointing to the south. The ashes and bones are collected on the third day after death and thrown into the river Ganges or into any sacred stream that may happen to be handy. Those who are very poor bury their corpses in a lying posture. Persons dying of cholera or small-pox and children who die before they have cut their teeth are buried. The ceremony of Sradha is performed on the 1 2th day after death for males, and on the 13th day for females. Brahmans are engaged by Malis for the performance of funeral obsequies. On the 10th day the chief mourners, usually sons, shave their moustaches. On the third day of every Vaishak (Akhati) and on the last day of Bhadrapad (Sarva-pitri Amavasya) libations of water and balls of cooked rice or wheaten flour are offered to propitiate ancestors in general .
Social Status
The social standing of the caste appears to vary in different sub-castes. The Phul Malis hold „a respectable position and take rank with Maratha Kunbis, Hatkars and Wanjaris, with whom they eat kflchi or cooked food. The Jire Malis, who raise cumin seeds, and the Haldi Malis, who grow turmeric crops, stand on a lower social level, not being admitted to the privileges of eating with the above-mentioned castes, while the remaining sub- castes are held in still lower estimation. These social inequalities afford ground for the belief that the entire Mali caste comprises independent groups, held together under' one designation by reason of similarity of occupation. In matters of food, the Malis eat mutton, fowl, goat's flesh and all kinds of fish. They indulge occasionally in strong drink. They do not touch the leavings of higher castes. To the above the Marars add pork, from which the Malis abstain. The Marars rank socially with Kapus, Gollas, Welmas, and Munnurs. Occupation, — The Malis are very industrious and skilful gar- deners, growing and selling all kinds of vegetables, fruit and flowers. They also raise staple crops, but are more" profitably engaged in rearing tobacco, cumin seeds, turmeric and other special produce which require careful cultivation. Their talent for all fcwms of gardening and spade husbandry is remarkable and most of the vine- yards of Daulatabad and its neighbourhood, yielding the highly esteemed grape known as ' Habshi * were owned by the members of this caste. In towns they work as market gardeners, while in villages they supply flowers and flower wreaths for the worship of household gods. Many of the Malis are occupancy or non-occupancy raiats, some of whom have risen to be patels, or headmen of villages. A few of them are farm labourers. The Malis have a caste Panchayat presided over by a chief who is called ' mehatar ' and to whcan all social disputes of the caste are referred for decision. It is said that Phul Malis do not wear shoes embroidered with flowered designs.
